Finnair, Skyscanner and Amadeus partner to boost online conversion

Finnish airline company Finnair has joined forces with Amadeus, a travel technology provider to launch a new Application Programming Interface (API) based on IATA’s NDC (New Distribution Capability) XML messaging standard. The partnership aims at helping airlines maintain close contact with their customers by providing assisted booking, so that they can tailor their shopping experience and make it as simple and as personalized as possible.

“Finnair is focused on growing our operations, including ancillaries. This new solution adds yet another option for our partners to sell the full range of Finnair offers with an assisted booking through our systems – especially startups – and at the same time, it can greatly enhance the customer experience,” said Rogier van Enk, Head of Commercial Strategy, Distribution & Data Science, Finnair.

Last month, travel fare aggregator Skyscanner launched a tool to help users plan their holidays, highlighting the days where public holidays fall and telling users the number of days required for the trip. Now, Finnair has chosen its platform to pilot the solution, which means travelers purchasing Finnair flights from Skyscanner can complete their purchase without leaving the Skyscanner platform.

“Our industry-leading Direct Booking platform offers a frictionless experience for travelers and enhanced results for carriers. We are confident that the latest integration of the Amadeus NDC API will ensure that we stay ahead of the curve and continue to open up new and deeper partnership opportunities with airlines moving forward,” said Stuart Middleton, Commercial Director, Skyscanner.

The new NDC API from Amadeus offers an additional distribution option for travel retailers to integrate Finnair’s flights, seats and ancillaries. It also adds to Amadeus’ existing assisted booking portfolio aimed at boosting conversion for airlines in the increasingly important meta channel.

“As a technology provider for the travel industry, our aim is to provide innovative tools that meet the needs of airlines and travel sellers so they can collaborate more closely to improve the shopping experience for travelers through all channels,” said Manuel Midon, Managing Director, Airline Business, Northern & Western Europe, Amadeus.

Midon further added that the NDC API can be an additional option within the company’s existing portfolio for airlines and metasearch players wishing to implement assisted bookings flows.